Bill Text: IL HB3443 | 2023-2024 | 103rd General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that a school board may determine which career and technical education courses that the school district offers fulfill the high school course requirements. Provides that the State Board may override the school district's determination if the State Board has a legitimate reason for overriding.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2023-02-17 - Referred to Rules Committee [HB3443 Detail]

Download: Illinois-2023-HB3443-Introduced.html

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103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY State of Illinois 2023 and 2024 HB3443 Introduced , by Rep. Dave Vella SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:
105 ILCS 5/27-22 from Ch. 122, par. 27-22
Amends the Courses of Study Article of the School Code. In provisions regarding required high school courses, provides that a school board may determine which career and technical education courses that the school district offers fulfill the high school course requirements. Provides that the State Board may override the school district's determination if the State Board has a legitimate reason for overriding.
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A BILL FOR
HB3443 LRB103 27487 RJT 53859 b
AN ACT concerning education.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
Section 5. The School Code is amended by changing Section
27-22 as follows:
(105 ILCS 5/27-22) (from Ch. 122, par. 27-22)
Sec. 27-22. Required high school courses.
(a) (Blank).
(b) (Blank).
(c) (Blank).
(d) (Blank).
(e) Through the 2023-2024 school year, as a prerequisite
to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil entering the
9th grade must, in addition to other course requirements,
successfully complete all of the following courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. When applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted towards the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and

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one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course. A mathematics course that includes geometry
content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
course that prepares a student for a career readiness
path.
(3.5) For pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2022-2023 school year and 2023-2024 school year, one year
of a course that includes intensive instruction in
computer literacy, which may be English, social studies,
or any other subject and which may be counted toward the
fulfillment of other graduation requirements.
(4) Two years of science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government
and, beginning with pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2016-2017 school year and each school year thereafter, at
least one semester must be civics, which shall help young
people acquire and learn to use the skills, knowledge, and
attitudes that will prepare them to be competent and
responsible citizens throughout their lives. Civics course
content shall focus on government institutions, the
discussion of current and controversial issues, service
learning, and simulations of the democratic process.
School districts may utilize private funding available for

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the purposes of offering civics education. Beginning with
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school
year, one semester, or part of one semester, may include a
financial literacy course.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include
American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
course used to satisfy the course requirement under
subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
requirement under this subdivision (6).
(e-5) Beginning with the 2024-2025 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete all of the following
courses:
(1) Four years of language arts.
(2) Two years of writing intensive courses, one of
which must be English and the other of which may be English
or any other subject. If applicable, writing-intensive
courses may be counted toward the fulfillment of other
graduation requirements.
(3) Three years of mathematics, one of which must be
Algebra I, one of which must include geometry content, and
one of which may be an Advanced Placement computer science
course. A mathematics course that includes geometry

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content may be offered as an integrated, applied,
interdisciplinary, or career and technical education
course that prepares a student for a career readiness
path.
(3.5) One year of a course that includes intensive
instruction in computer literacy, which may be English,
social studies, or any other subject and which may be
counted toward the fulfillment of other graduation
requirements.
(4) Two years of laboratory science.
(5) Two years of social studies, of which at least one
year must be history of the United States or a combination
of history of the United States and American government
and at least one semester must be civics, which shall help
young people acquire and learn to use the skills,
knowledge, and attitudes that will prepare them to be
competent and responsible citizens throughout their lives.
Civics course content shall focus on government
institutions, the discussion of current and controversial
issues, service learning, and simulations of the
democratic process. School districts may utilize private
funding available for the purposes of offering civics
education. One semester, or part of one semester, may
include a financial literacy course.
(6) One year chosen from (A) music, (B) art, (C)
foreign language, which shall be deemed to include

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American Sign Language, (D) vocational education, or (E)
forensic speech (speech and debate). A forensic speech
course used to satisfy the course requirement under
subdivision (1) may not be used to satisfy the course
requirement under this subdivision (6).
(e-10) Beginning with the 2028-2029 school year, as a
prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma, each pupil
entering the 9th grade must, in addition to other course
requirements, successfully complete 2 years of foreign
language courses, which may include American Sign Language. A
pupil may choose a third year of foreign language to satisfy
the requirement under subdivision paragraph (6) of subsection
(e-5).
(f) The State Board of Education shall develop and inform
school districts of standards for writing-intensive
coursework.
(f-5) If a school district offers an Advanced Placement
computer science course to high school students, then the
school board must designate that course as equivalent to a
high school mathematics course and must denote on the
student's transcript that the Advanced Placement computer
science course qualifies as a mathematics-based, quantitative
course for students in accordance with subdivision (3) of
subsection (e) of this Section.
(g) Public Act 83-1082 This amendatory Act of 1983 does
not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in 1983-1984 school

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year and prior school years or to students with disabilities
whose course of study is determined by an individualized
education program.
Public Act 94-676 This amendatory Act of the 94th General
Assembly does not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the
2004-2005 school year or a prior school year or to students
with disabilities whose course of study is determined by an
individualized education program.
Subdivision (3.5) of subsection (e) does not apply to
pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2021-2022 school year or a
prior school year or to students with disabilities whose
course of study is determined by an individualized education
program.
Subsection (e-5) does not apply to pupils entering the 9th
grade in the 2023-2024 school year or a prior school year or to
students with disabilities whose course of study is determined
by an individualized education program. Subsection (e-10) does
not apply to pupils entering the 9th grade in the 2027-2028
school year or a prior school year or to students with
disabilities whose course of study is determined by an
individualized education program.
(h) The provisions of this Section are subject to the
provisions of Section 27-22.05 of this Code and the
Postsecondary and Workforce Readiness Act.
(i) The State Board of Education may adopt rules to modify
the requirements of this Section for any students enrolled in

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grades 9 through 12 if the Governor has declared a disaster due
to a public health emergency pursuant to Section 7 of the
Illinois Emergency Management Agency Act.
(j) A school board may determine which career and
technical education courses that the school district offers
fulfill the requirements of this Section. However, the State
Board may override the school district's determination if the
State Board has a legitimate reason for overriding.
(Source: P.A. 101-464, eff. 1-1-20; 101-643, eff. 6-18-20;
101-654, Article 50, Section 50-5, eff. 3-8-21; 101-654,
Article 60, Section 60-5, eff. 3-8-21; 102-366, eff. 8-13-21;
102-551, eff. 1-1-22; 102-864, eff. 5-13-22; revised 9-2-22.)